Michael Jackson recorded a whole new album of material in the fall of 2007. The information about the album was only recently revealed by sources close to the late pop star.

Readers of my old column will recall that I reported on November 19, 2007 that Jackson spent three months with the Cascio family in Franklin Lakes, New Jersey after decamping from a Northern Virginia home he’d been renting courtesy of then manager Raymone Bain.

Jackson, his kids, nanny and tutor landed on the Cascio doorstep at the end of the summer of 2007 and stayed until November 7th. During that time Michael was not idle, as some thought. He recorded at least a dozen tracks with Eddie Cascio, who is also known as Angel.

I’m told that Jackson’s manager and adviser, Frank DiLeo, knew that Jackson was working on a new album. DiLeo and the Cascios all declined to comment for this article.

The song titles that I’m aware of include: “Water,” a song Michael actually sang a little bit of in the movie, “This is It” (Jackson fans have commented on this on fan blogs), plus “Breaking News,” and “Burn Tonight.”

According to one source who’s heard the material, Michael’s vocals are “perfect.”

The question now, of course, is what happens next. The Jackson estate just signed a record deal with Sony Music that could be worth $200 million, but it includes re-releases of previously recorded music, live albums, and an album of unreleased songs that were in the Sony vaults or recorded during Jackson’s contracted time with the label.

That deal does not include newly discovered material. This could mean that other record companies could bid for the collection of songs.

Eddie Cascio, who’s 28, is the second oldest son of Dominick (Sr.) and Connie Cascio, who were friends of Jackson sincethe 1990s, Dominick Cascio Sr. met Jackson in 1984-85 when he was the general manager at the Helmsley Palace Hotel in New York City. Jackson recognized the Cascios immediately as a “normal” family, and quickly befriended them. Since Jackson’s death, the Cascios have been frequent visitors at Katherine Jackson’s home in Encino, California.

Over the years, Jackson reciprocated the Cascios’ hospitality with enormous generosity. Although the Cascios were not named in Jackson’s will, the song tracks should prove to be multi-million dollar bonanza—and a lasting gift to people whom he really considered family.

The Cascio’s were so close to Jackson that a message from them, written by Eddie, was included in the booklet distributed at Jackson’s Staples Center memorial service in July 2009. Here’s what it said:

“Doo Doo, It is only once in a lifetime where you meet a true Angel sent
from the Heavens above. I count my blessings each day for I have experienced Heaven on
Earth. The wisdom, guidance, and knowledge will always be remembered and put into
action. I thank you for the memories, for they will remain in my heart forever and ever.
Our friendship will always be treasured. I write on behalf of my family.
We promise to always remain ‘The First Family of Love’.
From the Bottom of our Hearts
WE THANK YOU and will love you FOREVER and ALWAYS.
ANGEL ‘Dr.Heat’ Cascio and the Cascio Family”

c2010 Showbiz411.com

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Roger Friedman began his Showbiz411 column in April 2009 after 10 years with Fox News. He writes for Parade magazine and has written for Details, Vogue, the New York Times, Post, and Daily News and many other publications. He is the writer and co-producer of "Only the Strong Survive," a selection of the Cannes, Sundance, and Telluride Film festivals.

“During that time Michael was not idle, as some thought.”
YOU were the one claiming that, Mr. Friedman. How do you feel about spending so much time calling Michael a lazy man when he was actually working on creating music all that time?

In response to the song “Water”, in TII, the only reference is where Ortega says get some water and Michael wanders off saying “water, water”. Hard to believe that could be a song. I bought “Invincible” only recently, so every song on that great album is new to me and I would be so eager to get more new MJ music. Let’s hope it’s true and there’s more to come.

OMG! I’d LOVE to hear Michael singing again … new songs … new messages!!!I really hope it won’t last too long … now that I know it I can hardly wait! Love you so much, Michael! You’re always giving us more … wish I could give that much happiness to you as you are – STILL! – giving to us!

Finally……..after those shameful and disgusting about the only Angel who came with the message of True Love and True Peace and Change, who was killed because of that, It is soooooo good and overwhelming news. I can’t wait to hear his heavenly voice once again. Although I’m sure that I’ll cry both for Joy and Sadness…….. I miss you Michael and God bless you………Loveeeeee youuuuuuu moreeeeeeee……….

First I have to say: look, a family of normal people who testify to the normal life and normal ways of the man- Michael Jackson- that everyone judged and still judges. God bless MJ for being strong enough to put up with all of that BS. I really don’t know how he did and for so long. Really. Marlon was correct in saying “How much can one person take?” Secondly, if anyone was to say that MJ’s vocals were less than ‘perfect’ I would be surprised and shocked. So, to hear that MJ sang like an angel once again, on this album, well, I’m not surprised at all. Was there anything less than perfection that came from Michael Jackson. He was a master. He schooled not went to school. But no, really, I can’t wait to hear the album. It could be nothing less than incredible and it would be fabulous to hear Michael again. Sad but incredible to hear that beautiful voice once again sing for us once again. Now that is something that will always be missed. LOVE YOU MJ. STILL MISS YOU MJ. WILL FOREVER KEEP YOU IN MY HEART MJ.

[…] deal between Sony and the late pop singer’s estate.According to the New York publication (via Showbiz411.com), Jackson spent three months with Eddie (Angel) Cascio in New Jersey where he recorded 12 new […]

What fantastic news – hopefully something SONY can’t control.
I cannot wait to hear this, although I know it may be a very long time with legalities.
This really is something to rejoice in and what makes me happy is knowing Michael was amongst friends when he was recording, so he would have been happy and God knows he deserved to be.

Does anyone know whereabouts the clip of him singing ‘water’ is? I must be very unobservant because I haven’t noticed it.